Quick survey: have you ever had college loan or credit card debt? Did it stress you out--or did it actually make you feel kind of good about yourself? Wait... what?

Believe it or not, according to a new study, the more debt you have, the better you feel about yourself. But only if you're in the 18- to 27-year-old age bracket. After age 28, your confidence starts to turn to stress about having to pay it all off.

In the study--which comprised 3,079 people--researchers looked at data from two kinds of debt: college loans and credit cards. The researchers theorized that study participants would see college debt as a good thing, since it was proof that they were investing in their futures, and regard credit card debt as a bad thing. But it didn't matter: both kinds of debt were viewed favorably.

According to the study's lead researcher: "Along with education spending, they could be using credit cards to pay for non-essential items. They may feel good about their debt only because it allows them to buy the things they want without having to delay gratification."

Another interesting note: the self-esteem boost was seen even more clearly in young people from lower financial brackets.

Have you ever stressed out about owing money? How did you handle the stress and become debt-free?